The daily quest for faster equipment

Since several seasons, Intermarché-Wanty handles a performance strategy in the choice of technical partners and the development of new products, for the continuous improvement of all its bicycle models: the Cube Litening C:68X Aero and Air for road racing, the Cube Aerium C:68 TT for time trials, and the Cube Cross Race C:68X for cyclocross.

The daily efforts of the team led by Mikey van Kruiningen are driven by the continuous pursuit of innovation and technical improvements, and are now reflected in a set of highly competitive and reliable equipment in each discipline.

"Our priority given to equipment is an important pillar of our performance strategy. We have implemented a system that relies on strong interaction with our technical partners to stimulate innovation and product development. This is how we have closed the gap with the best teams in terms of equipment in recent years. There is no doubt that our Cube Litening C:68X bikes are currently among the fastest in the peloton, as evidenced by our three stage wins and the green jersey in the last Tour de France. I am also proud of the progress we have made in recent years in time trials, a discipline that relies on mastering the details. In 2024, we reaped the rewards of our investments with our first success in an international UCI time trial event. It was a great reward for our investments in equipment and efforts in time trial protocols, and for our software and hardware experts who work every day to ensure our riders have the most advanced equipment possible."

Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager) Tweet

In pursuit of high-performance and high-grip tubeless tires, the structure of Intermarché-Wanty has partnered with French tire manufacturer Hutchinson, which has been equipping the Cube Litening C:68X bikes of the World Team and Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz since the beginning of 2025. Thanks to feedback from riders and mechanics, who have been testing prototypes for several months, Hutchinson has developed the new 30mm wide Racing Lab Blackbird Race tubeless tire, before launching them on the market on March 7th.

In addition to the new tires and new Shimano pedals, the Cube Aerium C:68 time trial bikes have been equipped with new NEWMEN Streem TT.80 front wheels and Infinite disc rear wheels, specially developed for team Intermarché-Wanty. Partner since 2024, Profile Design has produced new ASC Pro extensions that come even closer to custom handlebars.

"We are constantly looking for technological improvements in collaboration with our technical partners. A recent example is our partnership with Hutchinson. When we were one of the first teams to switch to tubeless tires a few years ago, we gained a significant speed advantage. Subsequently, the entire peloton adopted tubeless tires and consequently lost grip, as these tires generally have little or no tread. Last winter, we partnered with Hutchinson, who wanted to develop with us a tubeless tire with the same rolling resistance and weight, but increased grip to improve safety, especially in wet conditions. We spent several months testing prototypes to finally produce the final version of the Blackbird Race in the 30mm version. Proof of its remarkable qualities, our riders call it the "Moto GP tire." It's another step forward for our equipment package."

Mikey van Kruiningen (Head of Equipment) Tweet

"We test new products all year round in our service course, but also in the wind tunnel, on the track, and in the most extreme conditions during training and competitions. Aerodynamics, rolling resistance and reliability are important factors that we analyze. We make sure to anticipate major events well in advance. For example, we started preparing for the first Belgian races as early as November, organizing collective training and recon sessions in the Flemish Ardennes. At the beginning of January, tire pressure tests were organised on the cobbles of the Haaghoek among others, to determine the individual protocols for the riders in our classics group. We recently went to the Trouée d'Arenberg to test the new 32mm Hutchinson Blackbird Allseason tires and compare the performance of different tire pressures on the cobblestones. Also, we went to the track with our GC riders to refine the positions we had determined during the bike-fitting sessions. And at the same time, our work behind-the-scenes is focused on long-term projects. Together with the engineers at CUBE Bikes, we can't wait for 2026 to unveil new advancements."

Mikey van Kruiningen (Head of Equipment) Tweet